Countdown to CEV EuroBeachVolley 2026 in Stare Jabłonki begins – Winners to secure ticket to LA28

The European Beach Volleyball elite is set to take over the Warmia and Masuria region. This August, Stare Jabłonki will host a historic event – the first-ever senior European Beach Volleyball Championships in Poland: CEV EuroBeachVolley 2026. During an official press conference, the event organisers and partners summarised the progress in the tournament preparations. In a historic first, this year’s champions will earn direct qualification for the Olympic Games. Meanwhile, the national qualification tournament has just concluded on the beach at Hotel Anders, thereby determining the final Polish pairs to join the continental elite.

Preparations for the European Beach Volleyball Championships, scheduled to take place by Lake Szeląg Mały from August 12-16, have entered their decisive phase. Organisers assure that the core foundations are fully secured. Fans can look forward to a spectacular show and a stadium with a seating capacity of 5,000. For the region, this event reaffirms its status as the capital of Polish Beach Volleyball, following its successful hosting of previous World Tour stops, Grand Slams, and most notably, the 2013 World Championships.

“For us, as the Regional Local Government, promoting the region through sports is incredibly important,” emphasises Marcin Kuchciński, Marshal of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship. “This is not about guesswork or searching for untested solutions – we have already implemented these solutions in the past and boast extensive experience. Events of this calibre always draw crowds of fans, not just from Poland, but from all over Europe and the world. I am convinced that this time will be no different.”

Historic Stakes and a Pass to Los Angeles 2028
The level of competition on the Masurian sand will be unmatched. This time, the stakes are unprecedented. “For the first time in history, the tournament champions will receive direct Olympic qualification,” announced Tomasz Dowgiałło, Tournament Director (Anders Group). “This makes it completely different from any previous tournament, and we are thrilled that this milestone is happening right here in Stare Jabłonki. A gold medal at these championships means an automatic pass to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Our team of over 200 people is ready and gathering its strength to ensure these championships are once again hailed as exceptional.”

The event is set to achieve massive promotional reach. More than 30 television networks have already confirmed broadcasts and signal distribution starting from the very first match on Wednesday, August 12, promoting the Warmia and Masuria region globally.

July Tournament Winners Announced! The Champions Speak
The battle for the final, highly coveted spots in the main draw heated up the beach in Stare Jabłonki during the national qualifiers. Men’s and women’s pairs competed in a unique tournament held under the auspices of the CEV. There was no room for calculation - the winners took it all.
In the men’s competition, Igor Ciemachowski and Kacper Taudul secured a sensational and spectacular promotion. “We have just qualified for the European Beach Volleyball Championships, which is something incredibly massive and huge for me. We are overjoyed and still in disbelief that this is actually happening,” said an emotional Igor Ciemachowski right after the final. “It is an amazing feeling, especially since we are a very fresh partnership,” added Kacper Taudul. “A fresh pair that manages to shake things up on the court because we are both defenders and alternate roles. Something truly incredible!”

In the women’s division, Patrycja Jundziłł and Julia Jaroszczak proved unbeatable, going through the entire tournament undefeated despite a highly demanding group stage. “We are very happy about this qualification. To be honest, I do not think we expected this when entering the tournament. However, we are thrilled that we showed strong form, withstood the pressure, and managed to win,” commented Patrycja Jundziłł. “We came here primarily to get more match play and test our skills. We didn’t have massive expectations; we just decided to perform our best and see what happens. The tournament was very strongly contested, so we are absolutely delighted to be coming back here in August,” summarised Julia Jaroszczak.

A Chance to Break the Polish Streak
The August championship, held in front of a passionate home crowd, presents a golden opportunity to improve the historical medal tally of the Polish national team, which has won five medals in the history of the European Championships so far. Polish pairs have previously reached the third step of the podium twice in the men’s division – via Grzegorz Fijałek and Mariusz Prudel, and the duo of Piotr Kantor and Bartosz Łosiak. In the women’s competition, the sole bronze was claimed by Kinga Kołosińska and Monika Brzostek in 2015, while a historic silver was captured four years later by Kinga Wojtasik pairing up with Katarzyna Kociołek.
In August, Poland will be represented by a total of five women’s and five men’s pairs. Aside from the qualification winners, the duets guaranteed a spot as hosts based on world rankings include: Michał Bryl/Bartosz Łosiak, Piotr Kantor/Jakub Lejawa, and Aleksandra Kielak/Melania Kudlik.

“We are very grateful for the cooperation and the immense efforts to ensure that Beach Volleyball is highly visible in our country. As the Polish Volleyball Federation, we strongly support this discipline, which is an Olympic sport,” says Paweł Papke, board member of the Polish Volleyball Federation (PZPS). All final, official announcements regarding federation wild cards will be made by July 13, following a full review of the recently concluded qualifiers.

The next milestone on the pre-tournament roadmap will be the official group draw. It will take place on July 24 at 12:00 PM at the Focus Hotel in Warsaw, featuring the Minister of Sport and Tourism, Jakub Rutnicki, and the President of the Polish Volleyball Federation, Sebastian Świderski. This event will outline the competitive landscape for the group stage.

Information for the Fans
The grand sporting thrills in Stare Jabłonki kick off on August 12! The organisers remind fans that CEV EuroBeachVolley 2026 Warmia Mazury is a ticketed event, and due to dress rehearsals and massive interest, tickets are selling fast. Tickets for this historic event are available via the eBilet.pl platform.